William Rhodes
Bef 1805 - Yes, date unknown
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Name William Rhodes Birth Bef 1805 Gender Male Death Yes, date unknown Patriarch & Matriarch 
Abraham Rhodes, b. Bef 1741, St. Mary's County, MD
d. Between 19 Jul 1797 and 12 Sep 1797, St. Mary's County, MD (Age > 56 years) (Grandfather) 
_______ Semmes (Mother)Person ID I7834 1665 GOUGH/GOFF (US-MD-STM/US-VA-LOU) I-Y6902-A Last Modified 20 Oct 2023
Father William Rhodes, b. Between 1765 and 1777, St. Mary's County, MD d. Aft 1797 (Age > 33 years)
Other Partners: Malinda Burch m. 1814Mother _______ Semmes Marriage Between 1800 and 1804 Family ID F3143 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Notes - jking71@gmail.com wrote:
>For a number of years, on a number of lists, I've watched the debate
>over Benedict Rhodes, William Rhodes and his mysterious wife Mildred and
>the Rhodes connection to Washington D.C. I believe I know some of the
>answers which have been overlooked because of mis perceptions and
>misconceptions in the past.
>
>With much help from others, here's what I believe is the answer:
>
>Abraham Rhodes, the father of Benedict and William Rhodes (and other
>Rhodes who we see migrating to and through Kentucky) died in Sept 1797
>naming two of his sons, Benedict and William as executors for his estate.
>
>Fourteen months later we find William announcing through the columns of
>the Centinel of Liberty and Georgetown Advertiser, that he had taken the
>Little Hotel in the City of Washington. Over the course of the next
>several years William Rhodes became a well-known innkeeper in the new
>federal city and proprietor of what became known as the Rhodes tavern -
>later best known as the dining location of the British as they watched
>the city burn in 1814.
>
>That this is the same William Rhodes is somewhat circumstantial but a
>massive preponderance of the evidence makes me believe it is.
>
>William Rhodes business dealings were many but during his early years
>they were almost all with friends of the family from the old home of St.
>Marys including the Fenwicks, the Semmes, the Spaldings, the Cissells
>and the Medleys. One of his joint ventures with one of his partners was
>a stage line from his hotel to St. Mary's - running daily and guaranteed
>to deliver you to your destination.
>
>The evidence indicates that William Rhodes of the Rhodes hotel first
>married a daughter of Joseph Semmes- another Charles County/ St. Mary's
>county denizen who became well known as a Washington innkeeper. I've
>desperately looked to find her first name but so far have been unable to
>do so. This marriage must have occurred sometime around 1800 - 1804 so
>whether she is the mother of his son Hillary b. 1802 is also unknown but
>she very well could be.
>
>However she is NOT the much sought after Mildred and Mildred is NOT the
>mother of Hillary either. She enters William's life much later as well.
>
>William apparently had connections with Holy Trinity Church and the
>early beginnings of Visitation Academy. In fact, his sisters, soon to be
>the foundresses of the Sisters of Loretto, were attached to the academy
>in one form or another very early on. Meanwhile other St. Mary's
>families moved through Washington on their way to KY .....William's
>brother Benedict probably meeting up with his soon-to-be wife, Eleanor
>Medley, during a series of baptisms in Washington in 1800.
>
>There is little doubt that William acquired influence during his
>lifetime. His roomers included the elite of Washington and his business
>partners and cohorts occupied some of the political plum jobs of the
>time period. The first city council meetings were held at his hotel and
>the tavern was the city's first polling place. Bankruptcy auctions were
>held at the establishment and for some time it was the home of the
>Orphan's Court.
>
>The influence apparently paid off. Hillary eventually acquired a
>commission as mid-shipman - married into the Carter family of Virginia -
>had a long naval career before retiring to Virginia. He died later on a
>riverboat near Vicksburg on his way to see his family in St. Louis where
>they were riverboat pilots and businessmen.
>
>The first (and I say that somewhat timidly because I am of the firm
>belief that there may have been one more prior) Mrs. Rhodes died
>sometime before 1814 when we find William Rhodes marrying Malinda Burch.
>She is called Malinda in the marriage records of the District of
>Columbia however every other document says her name is Matilda Burch,
>the eldest child of Captain Benjamin Burch (b. 1761) a revolutionary war
>soldier who also did service in the War of 1812 and was for 22 years one
>of the Doorkeepers of the United States House.
>
>Finally - the mysterious Matilda.
>
>Now for the other Rhodes mystery - I cannot find William Rhodes death.
>Most genealogies have him dying in either 1817 or 1818 in Nelson County,
>KY. however I have been able to find no one who has actually seen a
>document supporting this.
>
>There are several reasons this is wrong but the easiest reason is that
>in April of 1819 William is still in Washington D.C. selling some of his
>household property. His wife Matilda (by this time his widow) is found
>later in life still residing in Washington D.C. handling many of the
>Burch family affairs. There is no indication that she or her husband
>ever resided outside of the district during their marriage.
>
>Hence, there are still a lot of questions but perhaps this is a
>framework for more work on the Rhodes family. It is my firm belief that
>we may still be missing some of the linkages between St. Mary's and the
>Rhodes and associated families in Kentucky.
>
>By the way, the Washington D.C. William had a son William born before
>1805. Could HE be the mysterious Nelson county William. I also believe
>there may be other children whom I have missed. If anyone has any ideas,
>I'm more than open.
>
>Comments, critiques appreciated -
>
>Jackie
>
- jking71@gmail.com wrote:
